To Skate or Not to Skate at Sochi

Should the "old guys" be allowed to return to skate at the Olympics in Sochi? I know Plushenko is looking to return but I also heard Todd Eldredge make a case for a comeback as well. Really? I am not so sure this is wise. I think once skaters have had a good run at the Olympics and have since left the competitive scene of the skating world that should be it. Let the new skaters have a fair chance. Anyway that is my opinion, so debate away!

Well that's ridiculous. You can't "disallow" anyone to not participate given they make the team. The decision should be based on their own mental preparedness. If they can achieve the standard of the field, I don't see why not.

I mentioned Evan should evaluate if he's able to keep up with the field. If he can, by all means go for it but if he's not even able be a contender then I think he should pack his bags and go home to his Vancouver gold medal. Better to end well than to be remembered for a bad comeback.

For Pushenko, if he thinks injury and more medals are worth it and he's able to keep up, then I don't see what the problem is.

Basically I think it fair but they should only go for it if they can be real contenders or else it's not worth it to tarnish reputation

I know Plushenko is looking to return but I also heard Todd Eldredge make a case for a comeback as well.

Ladskater, are you saying that Todd is hinting @ a comeback now, or you referring to his return to Olympic eligible competition from 2000 - 2002? He did take off two seasons from competing @ US Nationals, but did skate @ least one GP event during his time off. Whatever the case, he kept up his skills, and learned the quad (yeah, I know it wasn't a consistent jump for him in competition). He was also fortunate that back then, there were opportunities to skate in the pro-ams (Masters of Figure Skating, The Japan Open, the Canadian Open, etc.). I would be stunned if he were to reinstate now, but, IMHO, he never really left back then. I do feel he absolutely earned his way back to Worlds & Olympics for 2001 & 2002.

While I generally believe in giving the younger skaters the chance to shine, if an older skater earns his/her way on the team, then he/she has a right to go. It's not always just about medals.

The Olympic Moto is Faster, Higher, Stronger, it does not iclude Younger.

A great way to put it, Seniorita!

Ladskater, I think things are fair as they stand. If a skater is good enough, he or she deserves a spot on the team in whatever ranking his or her score would designate. The standards are the same for everyone.

My goodness, Russia is down to one spot for male skaters in Worlds. If there's a skater in Russia who has the chops to do well on the world stage and gain his country a second spot, I say go for it. (My one worry about Plushenko specifically is whether it endangers his health, so I mention that as a caveat in his case. I mean, they rebuilt one of his spinal discs! That makes skating sound like a very bad idea for him. While I'd love to see him medal at Sochi, I'd far prefer hearing about him dancing at his children's weddings years from now.)

As for the U.S., if Lysacek were still good enough even to make it to fourth or fifth place in the world rankings, we should be so lucky as to have him on our team. Such a skater wouldn't be taking some other American's place. In fact, just the opposite: he'd probably be earning another spot for the U.S. for the following year. Alas, this year it didn't turn out to be something Lysacek was capable of, but if he had been able to pull it off, I'd have cheered him on.